Zelenskyy confirm‎s truce negotiations with Russia in progress

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Ukraine and Russia sat at the negotiating table for details of a truce while he is moving to open a summit talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Likewise, the Russian government confirmed that negotiations are continuing between the two nations in virtual settings. All eyes are on Ukraine and Russia as to whether they can reach a diplomatic settlement.

President Zelenskyy was quoted by Reuters as saying in a press conference on Saturday that delegations from Ukraine and Russia started discussing topical issues regarding a cease-fire in detail rather than issuing an ultimatum to the other side. He asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to assist in holding a summit talk with President Putin in Jerusalem, emphasizing a more aggressive role that the Western world should play in helping bring an end to war, the Ukrainian president said.

Since Ukraine and Russia had the first negotiation in Belarus, one of their neighboring nations, on Feb. 28, they have met for three times to talk about the status of Ukraine as a neutral nation, a truce, and the independence of Donbas as a pro-Russian republic.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Saturday that Russia has stayed in contact with the other side under Russian chief delegate Vladimir Medinsky’s leadership in virtual settings since their third meetup took place.

Observers in the Western world analyze that there is a slim chance of President Putin putting an immediate end to Russia’s strikes. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz talked to President Putin on the phone for 75 minutes on Saturday persuading him to agree on a truce, but no to avail. Reportedly, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the two heads of state’s demand for a cease-fire by arguing that the Ukrainian government uses innocent civilians as a human shield, due to which he called on the Western countries to sanction Ukraine. The Elysee Palace announced in a statement following the talks that President Putin does not seem willing to put the ongoing war to a stop.


Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com